Amusement device



E. KOHLER.

AMUSEMENT DEVICE (CIRCLING WHIP).

APPLICATION FILEQ AUG.28, 1919.

1,398,639. Patented Nov. 29, 1921.

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Patented Nov. 29, 1921.

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APPLICATION FILED AUG-28. I919.

E. KOHlER. AMUSEMENT DEVI-CE (CIRCLING WHIP).

' APPLICATION FILED 'AUG.28. 191.9. 1,398,639,- Patented Nov. 29, 1921.

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-Er nesf KoHer gwuw T 0 all whom it may concert:

ATES

ERNEST KOHLER, or DENVER, COLORADO, ASSIG-NOR TO THE UNITED MiivEs AnnMANUFACTURING COMPANY,

A CORPORATION" OF .ARIZONA.'

AMUSEMENT DEVICE (01 0mm WHIP.)

Be it known that I, ERNEST KOHLER, a, citizen of the United States,residing at Denver, in the county of Denver and State of Colorado, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Amusement Devices,(Circling Whip;) and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use thesame. This invention relates to, amusement apparatus and especially-totheform of apparatus in which there are provided independent carriagesorcars which are each anchored pivot ally to afsuitable structure.between which and another or other supporting table structures relativecircular .or other suitable movement is produced so that the carriagesor vehicles are caused to travel in erratic andindeterminatepaths ofmovements while at the same time being sub-, jected, if desired, to'acourse of travel in a generally circular orbit. v

It is oneof the objects ofthe present invention to providean apparatuswhich will not only be attractive as an amusement but which will at thesame time provide for the necessary degree of safety and which furthermay be operated at an economical cost in consumption of power-and whichmay beoperated with a minimum of personal attendants. A further objectof the invention is to provide an apparatus-of this type which willinclude passenger cars or carriages which may be in ameasure subjectedto the control ofthe passengers or entirely independent thereof. Avfurther object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of this kindwhich, while providing an innocent and very entertaining form ofamusement yet can be constructed inexpensively and may be easilyrepaired in exigencies.

With the above and otherobjects in view as will become apparent to thoseversed in the art from the following description the invention consistsof-the construction, the

combination, and in details and arrangements of the parts as shown inthe accompanying drawings wherein: V V

Figure l is a plan view of the apparatus. Fig. 2 is a vertical,diametrical section of the apparatus. I

Fig. 3 is a plan View of the driven annulus Specification of LettersPatent.

' Application filed August 28, 1919. Serial meaasez.

Patented Nov. 1,9211

7 and the means for driving :supporting the same. j w,

Fig. 4 is a transverse, sectional view showing in detail a portion ofthe annulus with its driving and supporting means. I'

5 is a transverse, sectional View through the annulus showing a modifiedform of support. V

Fig. 6 is a vertical, sectional view through one form of the car orcarriage in which there isprovided a hand wheel by which some of themotions of the car can be controlled."

Fig. 7 is a plan view of one type of truck for the car and V Fig.8'shows a modified mounted upon its truck. i

In the illustrated embodiment of the ins vention there is shown anannular and'rela tively wide floor or table 2 of suitable 5 diformoflthe Y mensions and style of construction the gen eral surface ofwhich is plane but 'which' has at different points and at suitablelocations therein diverse forms "of irregularities as spherical,protuberances 3 and other various projections as in the form ofthe-conic areas which may be concaved or convexed as shown clearly at 4:and 4 in, Fig. 2, Approximately fitting within the inner "circle of thisouter floor or table 2 there is anannulus or driving ring 50f suitableform of I l construction and dimensi0ns,'its upper surface lying flushwith and forming a con'-.

tinuation of'the general floor surface and within the circle of thisannulus there is a circular floor or tablet the surface'of which alsomaybe of various contour as for instance plane in portions and concaveand convex in different portions.

To secure the desired results in this present apparatus the annulus 5-is the driven member, though it is obvious that this member might bestationary and the outer and inner tables 2 and 6 may be. rotated withrespect .to theannulus 5. 7

At suitable spaces or. pointgaround the annulus or driven ring 5 areplaced anchors or pivot pins "or fastening means 7 to which areconnected the tongues 8-of trucks consisting of transverse bars 9 towhich the tongues 8 are attached. Each of the trucks.

has at the outer ends of its bar 9 caster wheels or rollers 10 designedto' run over and bear uponthe track or surfaceway of theorganizedelements 2, 6 and 5. Upon each of the trucks there is mounted a suitableform of carriage or'vehlcle 11, in Fig.

i 6' thevehicle being shown as supported .car is being drawn along bythe truck or to lead them into the belief that motion of the car can becontrolled through means of the steering wheel, it being possible ofcourse that some very slight control may be effected by the occupants ofthe car grasping the wheel 12,to overcome centrifugal motion or theinertia of the car.

A suitable form of driving means may be utilized to drive the relativelymovable structures and in Fig. 4 the annulus 5 is shown as provided onits outer circumferential face with a groove 5 in which there runs acable 15 leading off from one side of the annulus and being guidedaround 7 suitable guide and tension pulleys 16; a

bight of the cable 15 being wound around a drum l7 geared to the shaftof the motor 'stantially as follows:

.18, all of which may be concealed beneath the outer table or floorstructure 2. The annulus which is shown in Fig. 4 has a rectangularcross-section, is supported on horizontal rollers 20 and also supportedby vertical rollers 21 bearing against the inner circular surface of theannulus 5.

A slightly modified form of supporting rollers is shown in Fig. 5 inwhich case each 7 horizontal roller '20 is provided with acircumferential groove 20 to take a downwardly projecting rib or fin 5formed on or attached to the bottom surface, of the annulus 5. In thecase of the use of vertical rollers 21 as in Fig. 4 these may be adjusted readily with respect to their bearing surface by suitableadujsting bearings 22.

It is obvious that various modifications, alterations and changes indetails of construction and method of operation may be resorted towithin the spiritof my invention and scope of the annexed claims.

The operation of the apparatus is sub- Assuming; that the annulus 5 isthe driven member it will be seen that centrifugal action will cause thecars or carriages 11 to swing outwardly as tongues 8 pivot about theiranchors or pivots ,7 and in this outwardly swinging action the wheels ofthe trucks will be caused to roll over the undulating or irregularsurface of the table structure 2 at certain points and at others will bethrown in wardly to ride on the circular table or floor 6 and engage theirregular surfaces of the same. If the bodies of the cars be mountedpivotally on the trucks 9 it will be seen that there canalso be freemovement of the body with respect to the trucks further enchancingv thepeculiar and indeterminate movements of the vehicles as they are thrownaround by the driven annulus. Occupants of the cars when they areprovided with the hand wheel 12, may attempt to control the movement ofthe car by grasping these wheels and also maylcontrol their ownpositions in the cars by grasping the wheels which latter will form asupport to enable the occupants to steady themselves in the cars. I

The wheel 12 can also be used as a steering wheel when it is fastened tothe truck as shown in the drawing.

Having thus described I desire to claim is: V 1. In an amusementapparatus of the t-haracter described, an inner and outer conmyinvention'what centric supporting structure spacedv from each other attheir adjacent edges and 'hav ing a generally horizontal top contour; an

intermediate memberarranged in and bridg-' ing. said space; anda carhaving wheels to traverse the surface ofthe said inner and outerconcentric supporting structures and said intermediate member, said carhaving a tongue pivotally connected to said member,- the latter and saidconcentric. supporting structures having relative circular move- .mentso that the car may be indefinitely trailed to and fro over thesurfaces.

2. In an "amusement apparatus of the character described, an inner'andouter concentric supporting structure spaced from each other at theiradjacent e'dgesand having a generally horizontal top contour; an

intermediate member arranged in and bridg- 7 ing said space; and a carhaving'wheels to traverse the surface of said inner and outer concentricsupporting structures and of said intermediate member, said car having atongue pivotally connected to said member, the latter and saidconcentric supporting structures having relative circular move ment sothat the car may be indefinitely trailed to and fro over the surfaces,and means forrotating the member to which the cars are connected. I

3. In an apparatus of the character. described, an inner supportingtable having a generally horizontal top area provided withirregularities; an annulus surrounding said inner table; an outerannular table of generally horizontal top'contour, the inner edge ofsaid outer table-being disposed in close juxtaposition to said annulus;and a car having a wheeledtruck, which car is pivotally connected to theannulus at spaced intervals and which is adapted to sweep over thegeneral top plane of the structure while relative rotary movement isimparted as between the annulus and the supporting tables 7 4. In anapparatus of the character described, an'inner supporting table having agenerally horizontal top area provided with irregularities; an annulusoperating around the inner supporting table; an outer annular table ofgenerally horizontal top contour, the inner edge of said outer tablebeing disposed in close juxtaposition to said annulus; and a car havinga wheeled truck, which car is pivotally connected to the annulus andwhich is adapted to sweep over the general top plane of the structurewhile relative rotary movement is imparted as between the annulus andthe supporting tables, and

means providing for pivotal movement of a car with respect to itswheels.

5. In an apparatus of the character described, inner and outerconcentrically spaced floor or table surfaces; a member bridging thespace between said floor or table surfaces, a series of passenger carshaving tongues, means on said? bridging member to which said tongues arepivotally connected;

and means for imparting a relative rotary movement between the anchorageand the table. I o

6. In an amusement apparatus of the char-,,, I

acter described, concentrically arranged and spaced tables or floorsprovided withundulating surfaces on their tops; an annulus operativelyfitting in the space between adj a-' 7 cent concentric edges of thetables; anti'friction supports on which the annulus is rotato theannulus, the cars having wheels designed to trail over the surfaces ofsaid tables and annuluswhen the latter is rotated.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature. V

ERNEST KOHLER.

